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Barnoldswick council meeting halted after councillor refuses to stop filming chairwoman
A meeting of Barnoldswick Town Council descended into disorder after chair Leanne Barrett asked councillor David Whipp to stop filming her. He refused, saying the public could film a public meeting, so Barrett adjourned proceedings and called the police; the incident echoes the viral Handforth Parish Council meeting of 2021.
The meeting had been under way for 13 minutes when it was adjourned, and police arrived about 40 minutes later. A police community support officer asked Whipp to speak outside, but he said he needed to continue recording; a brass band playing elsewhere in the civic hall then became audible, prompting laughter from members of the public. Lancashire Police said any decision to remove someone was for the council to make.
In short
- Barnoldswick’s council meeting was adjourned after a dispute over filming.
- Police attended but said removal was the council’s responsibility.
- A brass band added an unexpected backdrop to the confrontation.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Public council meetings are held in the people's interest and should be openly recorded to ensure democratic accountability and transparency. The right to film publicly conducted proceedings is a fundamental aspect of scrutiny over elected representatives. A councillor exercising this right should not be prevented from doing so simply because the chair finds it uncomfortable, as allowing officials to control what is recorded would undermine the very openness that serves democracy.
The case against
The chair has a duty to maintain orderly proceedings so that council business can be conducted effectively. Recording can be deployed selectively to harass or misrepresent individuals, and the chair's authority to manage the meeting includes setting reasonable conditions for its conduct. Distinguishing between legitimate public observation and targeted recording by a fellow councillor is a reasonable exercise of authority that protects both the institution's functioning and its members from intimidation.
Explained simply
Barnoldswick Town Council is a local authority governing body in Lancashire. A meeting of the council was halted this week after the chair, Leanne Barrett, asked councillor David Whipp to stop filming the proceedings; Whipp refused, citing the public right to record public meetings.
The dispute highlights an ongoing tension in local government about who may film council meetings and whether a chair can restrict recording. These meetings are public, but disagreement exists over whether participants have unlimited right to record them, particularly if a chair considers the activity disruptive.
The incident has been compared to a 2021 parish council meeting in Handforth that became widely known after it descended into disorder. The Handforth incident drew public attention to how local councils conduct their business and the tensions that arise during procedural disputes.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Moment council meeting descends into Jackie Weaver-style chaos as police called to remove councillor filming chairwoman while brass band plays in background”.